Perfect Catch

-11-

Tears continued to stream down Yuya's face as his lay in his sister's lap. He had told Emi about how he was accidentally washed onto the shore while looking for her and how Yuto saved him and made him feel fuzzy. But also how Lulu taught him to read and would cook delicious meals. "You made some very good friends," Emi cooed stroking Yuya's hair. "You seem fond of Yuto."

"But Yuto hates me now," Yuya wailed. "Yuto says mermaids are the reason his parents died."

Emi's looked at her brother confused. There hadn't been an incident with mermaids and humans dying in five years. Maybe Yuto's parents where caught up in that accident. "I'm sure he doesn't hate you,"
Emi assured. "He just needs to adjust to the news."

Yuya nodded, maybe she was right and Yuto just needed to calm down my down.  He hoped he would anyway, he missed Yuto's kisses and hugs.

—11–

It wasn't long before Yuya had fallen asleep on the sofa, exhausted from all the crying. Emi places a nearby blanket over him before going to her phone. Maybe she could convince Declan to intervene and explain what actually happened that day five years ago. "You called?" Declan answered the phone swiftly.

"That incident five years ago, I think I found the son of the marine biologists," Emi blurted out.

"I see," Declan kept his sentences short. "And why tell me this?"

"Because he blames my people about what happened to them," Emi said holding back the tears. "If I'm helping you on this project you need to tell this poor boy the truth. That Leo Corp were poaching us!"

The conversation went silent for a few minutes. "Alright," Declan agreed. "But he won't listen to me, what about the friend that picked you up?"

"Shay?" Emi asked. "I hear they've been close since childhood so I guess he could speak sense into him. I'll call him around to my apartment, you better be here to explain everything."

"Fine," with that Declan hung up. Project M wasn't just about proving the existence of mermaids but also rebuilding a broken relationship with them. Emi sighed then reaching for her shell phone. It was a special shell, with magic embedded into it so Mermaids could contact on another, the idea initially came from the the human cell phone. She let it ring before hearing that familiar voice. "Hello."

"Zuzu how are you kiddo?" Emi greeted.

"Emi? Is Yuya with you?" Zuzu panicked.

"Yes I found him," Emi assured trying to keep Zuzu calm. "Anyway is your dad there?"

Emi could hear as Zuzu called for her dad and placed him on the call. "Emi, I'm so sorry I lost Yuya!" He Apologised.

"Skip it's fine," Emi laughed. "It's my fault for not calling as much as I should have. Anyway think you can come get Yuya tomorrow?"

"Of course and I'll keep him under, what's the phrase, lock and key!" Skip said with determination.

"Please do," Emi laughed as she hung up. Her attention went back to her brother. His heart had been broken in a matter of weeks and now she had to fix it.

—11–

Yuto stares in shock as Shay finished the story. "You and your parents just happened to be in the Area the day the poachers went for them," he concluded.

"But I know I saw a mermaid when I woke up!" Yuto exclaimed. "Explain How that's possible!"

Shay took a deep breath, "Yuya saved you," Yuto's eyes widened. Yuya saved him? But how? Why? "It was his parents they attacked that day. Yuya told us that he saw you and managed to drag you onto land. You must have woke up as he swam away."

His heart was breaking. He was so cruel to Yuya the other day, he could remember the fear his eyes as he pinned him down and demanded an answer. He placed his head in his hands and began to cry. "Oh god," he wailed. "The one person I've ever felt any love towards and I hurt him!" Shay placed a hand on his shoulder trying to comfort him. "And now he's going to be sent back!"

"It might not be too late," Shay explained. "He's not going until tomorrow. Go talk to him."